Practice

While we spend most of our efforts the rest of the year covering advisors in the bank channel, we set aside one issue to devote to the bosses: the program managers.

Many advisors will say they grow via referrals. Fine, but how often do you really get a big referral? In the meantime, here are some other ways to grow your practice.

Standing out is tough when the crowd is so large-so here are some ways to make yourself unique, build your "brand" and outpace the competition

John Thiel of Merrill Lynch points to Apple's innovative marketing

The brokerage industry wants simpler language and other modifications.

Advisors must realistically assess their clients' readiness for life after work.

Personal experience has prompted one Ameriprise advisor and his team to build an unexpected niche.

State regulators may frown on discounting fees, if you are tying them to activity level.

Here's how to turn inactive clients into productive ones.

More than half of mass affluent Americans (57%) plan to push back their retirement, up from 42% in January 2011.